All Things Pass

We had two fights at school today. The streak is over, but it was a good 15 months!

I had to catch myself after hearing the news. It saddened me and dampened my spirits slightly. Left unchecked, I would've allowed my mind to slide down a slippery slope and become frustrated, possibly even angry. Instead, I invested a few minutes and cleared my head by remembering a few ideas and focusing on what's important:

• All things pass in time. Impermanence is part of the natural way of things; therefore, I cannot allow myself to let a single day's incident cast a shadow over 15 months of success.
  
• To feel angry would be an empty and selfish emotion. The students who fought did not do so in order to ruin my day, nor did they do it to ruin the school's streak. They acted out of frustration and an inability (or unwillingness) to resolve their conflicts in a nonviolent manner. I can be disappointed about their choices without taking it personally, or even professionally.
• The fact that fights occurred is not a failure of the staff with regards to maintaining a safe environment; if anything, their professionalism in handling the events and their aftermath is a testament to their abilities!
  

My meditations on impermanence also brought me back to thoughts about my training. Without sincere effort, intentions remain intentions. Once acquired, I need to maintain and retain all of the positives of my journey!

Time to eat some dinner, cut some boards, choreograph some demonstrations, and then hit the gym. I'll post up my workout results for the week tomorrow. Stay tuned!